Record card



Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORD CARD York Application March 28, 1947, Serial No. 7 37,771

Claims. l.

This` is a division of my copending application Serial No. 309,445, filed December 15, 1939, now Patent 2,366,827, issued January 9, 1945, said application `being further divided into three other copending` applications, Serial No. 525,111, liled on March 4, 1944 now Patent No. 2,431,017; Serial No. 525,112, filed on March 4, 1944 now Patent No. 2,424,073; andr Serial No. 737,772, filed on March 28, 1947.V The parent case, Patent No. 2,366,827', presents claims to the sensing devices cooperating with records having frictional indicia the second case, Serial No, 525,112, contains claims for devices for controlling sheet feeding by"frictiona1 indicia thereon; the third case, Serial No. 525,111, asserts claims for a control element bearing index points of friction material; the present case', Serial No. 737,771, sets forth claims for al control element bearing index points which are mechanically treated to make them frictional or smooth; and the fifth case, Serial No. 737,772, presents claims for a control element bearing inde'x points of lubricating material.

This invention relates generally to improvements in devices for making? and sensing index points on accounting records and more specifically to means form'arking" or treating' a record to change its frictional characteristics at differential p'onts which are later sensed to control the accumulation and recording of the data represented. The frictional marks may also control the feeding of asheet bearing them.

In the record controlled accounting machine art, it is customary to use cards which are perforated atdifferential points tdbe representative of data. These perforations are sensed electrically by brushes, or mechanically by pins, to control settable devices forV adding and printing the data represented' by the perforations. While the perforated cards are satisfactory, punching the records involves perforating devices of precision manufacture. Furthermore, there are the limitations of the existing system in thatA the record' element is weakened in proportion to the number of index points cutthereinand the area of the element receptive to printed informa'- tion` is limited by the portions cut out to provide control perforations;

An object of the present invention is to pror vide a control element or card with index points in the form of f-rictional surface marks which de not weaken the element and-do not interfere withprinted matter on the element'. The

frictionmateriallmay' be` colorless to avoid con- A 2 fusion with the printed matter over which itl may be placed.

A feature of the invention is the use of bothsides of a machine control element to'receive the friction material, thus doublingthe data representing capacity of the element.

Another object of the' invention is to provide a record element made of fine paper which is smooth to the touch but has a high coefficient of friction, said element having index points marked thereon with graphite, wax or powder to causel certain index areas to have a lower coefcient of friction than the body of the element. As an alternative form of record, there may be used e a paper stock which appears rough to the touch such as rubber, gum, ink',v pitch or wax which are comparatively higher infriction'alv characteristics.

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of a record and record characters thereon made of friction material placed so that they cannot only be read, but also sensed to control accumulation andrecordingofthe character represented; Another object of the invention is to treat accounting records'vvith frictional marking materials of either a water or oil base' to x data representing index pointsthereon. For example,- the marking material may be composed of latex plus water soluble glue and added coloring mate'- rial if desired. Another composition' may include with friction material to form data representingl index points.

Fig. 2 shows the other side ofthe card shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2a shows a portion? of theV record element Y whereon the index pointsvare printed asreadable characters composedvof friction material suitable l for controlling the sensing devices.

Fig. 3 is an elevation view showing two friction mark sensing devicesy cooperating with the opposite sides of a record element such as the card Y shown in Figs. 1 and'2.V

Fig. 4 is a portion of the record element carrying printed and Written matter over which colorless friction index points are marked.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a series of sensing devices cooperating with both sides of a record element and spaced to coincide with the regular columnar spacing of the eighty column card.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative method of crimping a record element so that two embossed ridges are Within the usual eighty column spacing and on opposite sides of the record element. An area of friction is incised at a particular index point to cooperate with and actuate a serrated point of a sensing element as the record is drawn past the sensing position.

Before pointing out the various combinations of substances from which the records and index points may be constituted, it may be explained that the variations are as numerous as the kinds of matter to be found with different frictional characteristics. As a general rule materials with rough, hard surfaces were found to have a low coefficient of friction and the cooperating sensing finger slid over such surfaces but was retarded when a spot of rubber, gum, wax or pitch engaged the finger.

The materials found satisfactory for establishing areas of friction on record members of a low friction surface such as sheet metal, card stock, newsprint, typewriter paper, or the like are as follows:

Rubber Wax rubber cement and pitch. beeswax. Lotol. paraffin. Lotol and machine oil. crayon. latex and glue. China marking pencil or any of the Neoprene cement, resin above dissolved in alcohol, acetone, and turpentine.

turpentine, carbon disulphide or The materials which performed satisfactorily in creating areas of a low coefficient of friction on record members of Va higher frictional value such as sheet aluminum, weighted papers, and other materials smooth to the touch, were found to be graphite, wax, china marking pencil, or the foregoing dissolved in alcohol, acetone, turpentine, carbon-disulphide, or benzol. In record members of this kind, perforations and depressions are as effective as the low friction material in influencing movement of the sensing fingers.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that some marking materials are effective on either kind of record. This is so when the frictional index of the material is midway between the friction values of the surfaces of record members having extremely high or low coefiicients of friction.

The friction material when in the form of a solid may be marked or deposited on the records in the differential positions. When liquefied it may be carried on ribbons or pads and transferred therefrom to the' record material in any Well known manner of printing. Coloring pigment may be added to the friction deposit material when distinctive character or index point outlines' are to be made, otherwise a clear colorless deposit will serve for most purposes. The

friction materials may also be either the same color as the background or contrasted therewith according to the purpose of hiding or revealing the marks.

Instead of using material to form a frictional area, a certain portion or area of the surface of a record may be treated mechanically to create a surface having a coefficient of friction differing from the surrounding areas. The printing impression arm 9|, described hereinbefore, can be formed with a striking face that acts mechanically to ident, emboss, roughen or smooth a record surface, rather than deposit material thereon.

Another important feature of the present invention is the marking of such frictional areas at differential points on record cards and the cooperation therewith of devices for sensing the marks and controlling the accumulation and printing of the data represented by the marks. For example, in Figs. 1 and 2, the two sides of a portion of a record card 200 are seen to carry a series of frictional marks 20| situated horizontally in various denominational order positions and arranged vertically from the bottom reference edge of the card to be representative of the various digits. The placement of the marks correspond with the perforation positions in control elements that are usually punched in a way well known in the art. However, the disclosed method of providing an index point has the advantage that it does not weaken the record element and it also enlarges the capacity of the element, since the marks may be made on both sides of the element and sensed as shown in Fig. 3.

A further advantage in the use of frictional index points is illustrated on the record 206 shown in Fig. 4. There it is seen that a number of index points 202 are of colorless friction material and represented by a dotted outline, although these marks are transparent and do not interfere with the written and printed matter over which they are placed.

Fig. 2a illustrates a still further advantage gained by the use of marking material having frictional characteristics. The record element 203 carries a series of numerals 205 which not only represent the amount 34.92 but they are also differentially placed and made of a frictional substance to cooperate with sensing devices, so that the amount they represent may be read olf the element and used to control adding and printing devices.

In Fig. 3 is shown a form of sensing device adapted to be influenced by the varying frictional characteristics of the surface on a record element 200. Although the sensing devices are shown duplicated on the opposite sides of the record, only one set need be considered since they are similar in all respects. A comb 201 is xed across the machine and supports a series of insulation members 208, one for each denominational order. insulation member 208 is a metallic strip 209 carrying the terminal for one end of the electrical connections through the sensing device.'

Clamped at the opposite end of member 208 is another metallic strip 210 formed as a channel containing a wire bow string 2|I engaging in a notch cut into the bottom edge of a sliding sensing finger 212. Finger 2l2 is guided in the horizontal part of a T-shaped channel 2 I3 riveted on the top of insulation member 208. The rea-r end of finger 2|2 is notched at 2M to cooperate Clamped to the front end of each with the upper edge of channel 2I0 to limit the sliding movement of nger 2I2 when the record 200 moves away from the sensing devices. An extension 2l0a on channel 2I0 presses against the side of nger 2l2 and maintains electrical circuit connection between the two parts.

Spring 2II serves to hold nger 2l2 upward so that a contact extension 2l5 thereon is normally separated from the contact piece 209 attached to the front of the insulation blank 208. The spring also provides a horizontal thrust to press the forward end of the finger against the record material so that the nger remains in the upper position shown until it encounters an area of such a frictional nature that the end of the nger is carried along therewith and down to close a circuit between contact 215 and strip 209.

The fingers and the ends thereon may be made of various material to get the frictional characteristics desired. For example, it is known that metals such as aluminum, lead, and bronze have a higher coeiicient of friction than other metals, such as steel, chromium and nickel, when other factors such as nature of cooperating material, kind of surface, polish, etc. are taken into consideration.

Instead of depending on the frictional characteristics of materials, it is also possible to set up frictional areas by treating the record mechanically as by impressing or embossing lines of resistance on the surface of the record card. For example, in Fig. 6 there is shown a portion of a record 204 in cross-section with a pair of channels 220 and 22| formed on opposite sides Within a space devoted to one column of a record. Along the top of the embossed ridges formed on the card, and at particular index points, there are impressed a series of transverse depressions 222 designed to present more than the usual frictional resistance to the passage of the record 204 under the serrated points 223 of the sensing fingers 2I2a. These iingers 2I2a also have associated therewith the contact making and breaking components illustrated in Fig. 3.

The impulses created by the sensing devices shown in Fig. 3 are initiated at diierential times in the same fashion that impulses are initiated through perforations as is common in the art. These impulses are then directed through printing and adding control magnets. Circuit breaking devices are provided to prevent the creation of circuits at positions other than the regular index point positions. In this way encountering the edge of each card, and the space between cards, has no effect on the adding and printing devices, even though the sensing nger contacts close at such times.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine control element bearing dat representing index points formed by areas mechanically treated on the surface of said element to vary the coeicient oi friction of said areas to make them different from the surface of the element, said treated areas being differentially placed to be representative of data.

2. A machine control element formed with embossed columnar ridges with certain portions of said ridges being serrated to make them of different irictional nature than the other portions of the ridges, said serrated portions being differentially displaced along the ridges to be representative of data.

3. A machine control element bearing colorless index points established by mechanically treating diierentially placed areas on the surface of said element, said areas being serrated to make them differ substantially in a frictional nature and differentially placed to be representative of data.

4. A machine control element bearing colorless index points established by mechanically treating differentially placed areas on the surface of said element, said areas being treated to give them tooth or roughness and make them differ in a substantial way over the comparatively frictionless surface of the element, said areas being differentially placed to be representative of data.

5. A machine control element bearing colorless index points established by mechanically treating differentially placed areas on the surface of said element, said areas being made smooth and comparatively frictionless to diier substantially over the highly frictional surface of said element, said areas being differentially placed to be representative of data.

WALDEMAR A. AYRES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,978,967 Sprague Oct. 30, 1934 2,084,848 Lasker June 22, 1937 2,273,740 Terry Feb. 17, 1942 2,366,827 Ayres Jan. 9, 1945 

